An intruder manipulates the URL which causes the web server to either execute a file or reveal the contents of a file which could be lying anywhere in the file system even out side the document root directory. What type of attack is this?

Directory traversal (also called path traversal) attacks manipulate URL parameters to access files outside the web document root. Attackers use sequences like '../' to navigate the filesystem and read or execute arbitrary files. Options A (XSS), B (SQL injection), and C (command injection) are different vulnerabilities. Directory traversal specifically targets file system access through path manipulation.